A curious instance of how the Chinese Government can continue to contravene all the principles which have been established by the experience of the world, la afforded in the particulars given by Yokohama papers of.a reported loan from Japan, It was doubt. osa a great blow to its self-conceit, to ave to goto its little, but plucky, neigh-hour for help; but having done so, its method is peculiar. We have all along pointed out in how great a measure the Chinese Government is itself responsible for difficulties of food supply in the North, owing to its unwise interference with the natural course of trade in the matter of the rice tubate. It might have been naturally supposed that, finding at last the evil results of that system, it would, when the opportunity offered, have done its best. to remove or remedy its defects. But the Chinese Government does not do as reasonably it might be expected to do. We find it endeavouring to make more oppressive and hurtful the present system, by endeavouring to re-establish tribute in kind where practically it had been given up, and we now mest with a stronger development of "the same idea in its Loan from Japan. In other words Japan is not to lend it money which might be used in the purchase of rice in the cheapest market, but is to supply it with rice itself; and not ely with rice which it does want, but with sea-weed and copper which it does not require. In other words, like a bad man of business, in order to get one article at market price, it has allowed to be foisted on it two articles of no service to itself, and which it can only got rid of by forcing its own markets and injuring the very class on whom it is most dependent, the mercantile body. It is instructive to mark the difference in the arrangements of the British Government in India under somewhat similar circumstances. The presidency of Madras h been threatened with a famine, and it has seemed advisable that Government should take steps to prevent it. It may be remembered that a few yearr ago a famine broke out in the north..i districts, and that such effective means were taken that a whole population yras well fed till the coming in of the next year'scrops. Some zealous but not overivise advisers urged on the Government, the stoppage of the export of rice from Calcutta. Fortunately, listening to wiser Councils, the Government refused to take a step which, while of no service to the famine-stricken districts, would have been the ruin of the cultivators elsewhere. Private enterprise was as much as possible encouraged, and Government refused to take any steps until it was evident that private measures were inefficient. The result was that a serious famine was conquered by the most effectual methods. So far had the lesson learned prevailed that now, when Madras is threatened with a similar visitation, we hear of no more clamour to forbid the export of rice. It is remembered that, notwithstanding the demand at Calcutta in the pre scarcity, the price of rice at that port never was so high as to render export unremunerative. In other words, that the Government was actually baying at Caleatta, a short distance from the famine, in the cheapest market. The Madras Government, though it did not make the attempt to fall into this error, did, however, the other day do something which might seem to be an interference with private trade. It employed a broker to purchase for it rice in the market, and a portion was actually delivered. Very properly, we think, the Home Government interfered at this point. Famines arise mainly from want of means of intercommunication. Where these are perfect, though local scarcities may occur they can never develope to such an extent as may now be witnessed in Shantang and Chibli, where money or' money's worth is of no avail whatever as compared with food, the latter having in fact no existence. The Home Government has expressed its disapproval of even' this seemingly inter-supply and demand. It has pointed out that the duty. of the Madras Go. vernment is to facilitate means of intercommunication, Private -énterprise will do the rest, at once more effectually and.with less waste than any Government organisation. "We are glad for the sake of the people India that the experience of the'former famine has shown how true is this axiom. Very different is the case with China; not only does the Government make a bad bargain with Japan, but, if Yokohama papers. are to be credited, it insists' on the most expensive method of carriage, Wei take" as a necessary consequence that it mut sell its seaweed and: copper at a loss to itself, and moreover to the serious injury of the national trade in' those articles; and, beyond all, it is said that the rice and other materials are not even to be allowed to come to China in the natural: way. They are to be cartied' by the extravagant association, misnamed the Chinese Merchants' Steam Navigation ° Coin-pavy. Will the people of Shantung be s well fed with all this round. about, as those of Madras?
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.